Gascolator drain hole alighment

[PT20J]

I have a 1994 M20J with the one piece belly. While I had my boost pump out for overhaul by Aeromotors, I decided to replace all the O-rings in the gascolator. The gascolator is an Airight (red can). My IA asked why I was messing with something that wasn't broken, but I pointed out that it appeared that the 30 year-old O-rings had never been replaced and now was a good time. I took it apart and replaced the O-rings and put it back. It's pretty simple: two AN3 bolts through the floor and two fuel lines. But now for some reason, it doesn't align with the belly hole as well as it used to. I've fiddled with it but there is no way I can see to adjust it. Has anyone else run into this?

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

[N201MKTurbo]

Not that it should matter, but, did you put it in backwards?

[Fly Boomer]

28 minutes ago, PT20J said:

I have a 1994 M20J with the one piece belly. While I had my boost pump out for overhaul by Aeromotors, I decided to replace all the O-rings in the gascolator. The gascolator is an Airight (red can). My IA asked why I was messing with something that wasn't broken, but I pointed out that it appeared that the 30 year-old O-rings had never been replaced and now was a good time. I took it apart and replaced the O-rings and put it back. It's pretty simple: two AN3 bolts through the floor and two fuel lines. But now for some reason, it doesn't align with the belly hole as well as it used to. I've fiddled with it but there is no way I can see to adjust it. Has anyone else run into this?

Any way the belly panel could have shifted?

[PT20J]

5 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Not that it should matter, but, did you put it in backwards?

Ha! That would be just like me, but it's impossible because the two screw holes are not on the centerline. You can barely make them out in the drawing. Interestingly, there were a couple of AN970 "fender" washers glued to the top at each bolt hole that space the gascolator from the floorboard. But I put it back as it was when I removed it and they don't seem there to "tip" it because they have too much surface area to do anything by hold it parallel to the floor.

[PT20J]

8 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Any way the belly panel could have shifted?

No, there are too many camlocs that all have to line up.

When I installed it, I tightened up the mounting bolts and then connected the fuel lines which would seem logical. The only thing I can think of is that if the lines were connected first it would be possible to torque them to make the gascolator line up with the hole and then snug up the mounting bolts, but not tight enough to affect the alignment. But that seems kind of Mickey Mouse even for Mooney.

[N201MKTurbo]

Maybe you just need to loosen it, give it a little love in the right direction and tighten it back up.

[PT20J]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Maybe you just need to loosen it, give it a little love in the right direction and tighten it back up.

That's what I'll try next. I'm thinking it's just one of those things with a hand built airplane. 

[PT20J]

I loosened everything and then tightened the B nuts first while rocking the gascolator forward. Then, I tightened the screws in the cockpit. Now it aligns. What the factory did is sandwich the floor between two large area washers at each screw location which deforms the floor slightly to tilt the gascolator to match the hole in the belly panel.